TMZ Sports - Page 50

It might have taken a day longer than expected, but Will Levis' girlfriend is just as excited for her man's NFL future ... congratulating the quarterback with a mushy love note after getting drafted by the Tennessee Titans!!

"Let the adventure begin," Gia Duddy said on Monday. "Nashville here we come!!"

Of course, Duddy became a star in her own right after the draft on Thursday ... with many football fans gushing over her appearance as she patiently waited for Levis' name to get called.

Now, it's time for Levis to pack up and move to the Volunteer State ... and it sounds like Gia's going to be along for the ride.

"It’s hard to put in words what it’s like watching your best friend’s dreams come true," Duddy added. "Proud would be an understatement -- I don’t know anyone more deserving. Time to get back to work @will_levis. TITAN UP❤️‍🔥🤠💙"

The QB elected to not return to the venue for Day 2 of the draft ... but it looked just as fun at home, with Levis popping a bottle of champagne and donning his new team's merch.

Levis hit the comments section to show love to Duddy as well ... saying, "Love you 💙 new chapter starts now."

Vanessa Bryant is remembering her daughter on what would have been her 17th birthday ... penning an emotional tribute to Gigi on social media.

"Happy 17th birthday, baby girl," Kobe's widow wrote on Instagram. "I love you and miss you so much, sweet Angel."

Bryant also shared several snaps of Gigi ... showing her smiling from ear to ear at Disneyland and other vacations.

"Te Amo Mambacita ❤️," she added. "We love you to the moon and back infinity +1. Forever & Always. ❤️."

Vanessa's friends showed love as well ... including Candace Parker, La La, Taraji P. Henson and more.

Gigi's birthday marks the release of the Kobe IV Protro "Mambacita" ... a special colorway of the NBA superstar's signature shoe that will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Gisele Bundchen is going to the Met Gala tonight -- and she'll be going by herself in what we're told will amount to a major fashion statement since her split with Tom Brady.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ the supermodel will join the annual pageant in NYC, dressed to the nines with all the other celebs streaming into the museum. We're told she'll be wearing Chanel in honor of its late creative director Karl Lagerfeld.

Karl and Gisele had a long relationship, and our sources say her appearance will be a nod to their working history ... which might have reached its peak when Gisele was tapped to be the face of Chanel N°5 perfume almost a decade ago.

Gisele's return to the Met's a big deal for a couple reasons. One, it's her first time since divorcing Tom Brady. Secondly, it's her first time going as a single woman since 2006.

The ex-power couple attended together for years, but as many know, Gisele had a history of showing up and owning the moment well before she ever got with Tom -- and we're told she'll be returning to fashion first mode with tonight's appearance.

The last time Gisele went was in 2019 ... on Tom's arm -- but tonight she'll have the spotlight all to herself.

Of course, one can't help but wonder about her new may-bae -- the jiu-jitsu instructor, Joaquim Valente, with whom she's spent a lot of time in Costa Rica. Our sources have insisted they're not romantically involved whatsoever, but even if they are secretly dating ... it sounds like he's gonna have to sit this one out.

USF running back Michel Dukes -- who scored five touchdowns for the Bulls last season -- has been suspended from the school's football team indefinitely ... after he was accused of strangling a person in a domestic violence attack over the weekend.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened on Saturday near USF's campus ... after a victim alleged Dukes had gotten physical with them following a verbal argument.

Police said the victim told them Dukes had strangled them during the encounter. The 22-year-old football player was then arrested and booked on a charge of domestic battery by strangulation.

He's since been released.

"We have taken the immediate step of suspending him indefinitely from the team as we continue to gather more information and the proper authorities investigate the matter," USF athletics said in a statement following the arrest.

"We will have no further statement at this time."

Hillsborough County sheriff Chad Chronister, meanwhile, added in a statement of his own, "We do not tolerate domestic violence. There is never a reason or excuse for this type of behavior. Our Victim Advocates will ensure this individual gets connected with any and all resources."

Dukes -- a 5-foot-10 tailback -- initially began his college football career at Clemson in 2019 ... but went on to transfer to USF before last season.

WWE star Carmella -- the Princess of Staten Island -- announced Monday she and her husband Corey Graves are expecting a child ... after previously suffering two miscarriages last year.

The 35-year-old former WWE Smackdown Women's Champion shared the exciting news by posting pics of her and Graves together, showing off her growing baby bump.

"After every storm there is a rainbow 🌈 our little miracle is due this november and we couldn’t be more thrilled," she wrote on Instagram.

Carmella -- whose real name is Leah Van Dale -- told "Good Morning America" she's been trying to main a positive mindset now that the couple is expecting after experiencing miscarriages in September and October last year.

"It's just all been such a whirlwind," Carmella said. "I think because of my past, it was hard to get excited off the bat about this one, but I was cautiously optimistic."

In February, Carmella revealed on Corey's 'After The Bell' podcast with Kevin Patrick that she had to step away from WWE because she had an ectopic pregnancy.

Carmella said she was "in a deep depression" for a while because she didn't know if she'd ever feel healthy enough to compete again. However, support from Stephanie McMahon kept her grounded and gave her the confidence she needed to return to the WWE.

Despite feeling nauseous and more tired than usual, Carmella told GMA this pregnancy has "been really good." Still, her excitement is mixed with apprehension because of her recent medical scares.

Meanwhile, Graves was "shocked" and "surprised" when Carmella told him their family was increasing, but the 39-year-old WWE commentator is excited to be a father!

English rugby player Michael Allen was tragically killed in a horrifying mass stabbing incident outside of a popular nightclub on Sunday morning, police announced.

He was just 35 years old.

According to Devon & Cornwall Police, the attack happened at 3:15 AM -- just minutes after attendees had poured out of Eclipse Nightclub in Cornwall.

Police said when officers arrived on the scene, they found eight people, including Allen, suffering from stab wounds. Cops said Allen was pronounced dead at the scene. The seven other victims, which included both women and men, were rushed to a nearby hospital. Five have since been released.

No motive for the stabbings has been publicly revealed yet ... but cops said they arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the attack.

Tributes for Allen, meanwhile, have poured in from all over ... including from his Bodmin Rugby Club -- which called him "a big part of our squad."

"His humor and kindness has left a mark on us all and we will miss him dearly," the team said in a statement, adding Monday that a memorial for the slain player has been set up outside of their club. "Our thoughts are with Mike's family at this devastating time."

Allen's family said in a statement of its own, "Mike was simply a much-loved son, brother, grandson, and uncle who loved his dogs. His family would like to respectfully request privacy at this time."

The star of "Juwanna Mann," Miguel A. Núñez Jr., tells TMZ Sports a sequel to the 2002 hit basketball movie is in the works ... and NBA superstar Draymond Green has been asking for a role in it!!!

Miguel talked all about the new project out at LAX earlier this week ... promising the movie is, in fact, actually happening.

He said while he can't give away specific details of the new plot, they've already got some great ideas in mind for it.

"It will be coming," Núñez Jr. insisted.

The first movie was a smash hit -- you'll recall, it features Miguel playing a character named Jamal Jeffries, a star basketball player who decides to dress up as a woman and play for a women's pro league after he's suspended from a men's team.

The flick was adored by hoops fans ... especially since it boasted guest appearances from a ton of NBA players including Muggsy Bogues, Vlade Divac, Dikembe Mutombo, and Rasheed Wallace.

Núñez Jr. said he wasn't sure who all would be in the new feature ... but he did tell us Green definitely wants in somehow.

"I talked to him," Núñez Jr. said of the Warriors star. "He wants to be in it as well!"

No word yet when it will all officially hit the silver screen ... but Núñez Jr. did at least give us one detail on the planned feature -- saying his Jeffries character would likely be in the reboot in some capacity.

Shaquil Barrett -- a linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- just suffered an unimaginable tragedy ... his 2-year-old drowned in their pool, just days after her birthday.

The news was confirmed Sunday by Shaq's football team, which released a statement expressing condolences to him and his family. The Bucs write, "Today’s tragic news is heartbreaking for all members of the Buccaneers family."

They adds, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Shaq, Jordanna, and the entire Barrett family during this unimaginably difficult time. While no words can provide true comfort at a time such as this, we offer our support and love as they begin to process this very profound loss of their beloved Arrayah."

The police confirmed it as well -- saying Shaq's daughter, Arrayah, was transported to a hospital Sunday morning after a call came in for a child who'd fallen into the water. Despite life-saving measures, cops say the child was pronounced dead a short time later.

It's unclear what led to the accident -- but cops are saying the circumstances don't appear to be suspicious in nature. An investigation is ongoing ... Shaq hasn't commented.

An even more gut-wrenching detail here is the fact that Arrayah just turned 2 on April 19. Shaq posted an adorable tribute to his kid, writing ... "Happy 2nd bday to my cutie girl. So sweet and cute. You made our family complete. I love you baby girl."

Shaq and his wife, Jordanna, are raising three other children together ... the rest of whom are older at ages 11, 9 and 8.

Conor McGregor stole the show Saturday night at the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship ... and the spirits clearly moved him.

Conor was on hand to watch Mike Perry defeat Luke Rockhold, who threw in the towel after his teeth got messed up in the brawl.

Conor, who was sipping, then swigging, his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, toasted the crowd at the 1stBank Center and the crowd ate it up.

But McGregor wasn't done ... Perry invited him into the ring and they faked a face-off. That's when the Irish champ grabbed Perry's BKFC belt ... a move that would ordinarily have triggered another fight, except this one was for s**** and giggles. They stared each other down, WWE style, and that was that.

As for Conor ... he's been sidelined with an injury for 2 years, but he's expected to fight Michael Chandler soon.

Travis Kelce might be in the midst of one of the greatest NFL careers ever ... but the Kansas City Chiefs star tells TMZ Sports he has his eye on another endeavor -- the WWE.

Now, he clearly ain't ready to hang up his cleats in exchange for wrestling boots ... but the two-time Super Bowl champ said this week he definitely wants some kind of role with the org. -- and he hopes it happens sooner than later.

Kelce told us he's been inspired to seek out the job after he watched his good buddy, George Kittle, have a blast in the ring earlier this month.

"My guy George Kittle was at WrestleMania throwing clotheslines left and right, man," Kelce said. "It was awesome to see him go nuts."

So, Kelce said he's hit up his pal The Miz -- who actually lost to Pat McAfee at WrestleMania due to interference from Kittle -- and he told us he's working with the WWE Superstar to try to get some sort of action in the WWE soon.

"Hopefully," the 33-year-old tight end said, "we can brew something into fruition here."

Of course, Kelce doesn't have exactly all the time in the world to mix it up in the ring ... he's gone nonstop this offseason, hosting "Saturday Night Live," throwing ceremonial pitches at Guardians games and even making an appearance at Thursday's NFL draft.

Jorge Masvidal, from one bad motherf***** to the next, is coming to the defense of one-time opponent Nate Diaz, telling TMZ Sports the charges against the UFC legend are crap ... 'cause fighters need to be able to defend themselves too!

Gamebred recently joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where they chopped it up about everything from his friendship with Donald Trump, whether he'd ever run for political office, his very own fight promotion, Gamebred Promotions, and the Diaz incident in New Orleans.

"There's nothing wrong [with defending yourself]," Masvidal said.

Of course, defending himself is exactly what Diaz says he was doing. Still, authorities opted to charge him with second-degree assault. Nate flew to NOLA on Thursday, where he turned himself in, before bonding out and taking a PJ back to Stockton. Diaz is adamant he was not the aggressor and simply was acting in self-defense.

"When it's you against somebody you have no idea if he's got a knife in his pocket, if he's gonna f******* pepper spray you then kick you in the nuts," Jorge explained, adding ... "Obviously this guy's not in the right mind if he's attacking a pro fighter. I just don't like it that people think because we're pro fighters that we're not able to defend ourselves."

"No, we have to defend ourselves. It's a cold world out there."

FYI, Jorge beat Nate for the BMF belt at UFC 244 in November 2019.

We also talked to Gamebred about politics ... with 80-year-old President Joe Biden recently announcing he'll run for reelection in 2024. Jorge has a relationship with Trump and believes the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction under the current POTUS.

"We the people say that please, you're not doing a service for us, you're doing a disservice. You're destroying this country. I don't care about your skin color, your ethnicity, your freakin' religious views. Where we were out 2 to 3 years ago was better for everybody."

Masvidal has gotten more involved in politics, and while he may not be a traditional candidate (stiff, phony, etc.), we asked Gamebred if he had any interest in running for office in the future.

"If you don't like the constitution and you're coming with all this crazy s*** now to try and destroy this country, I can't f*** you, man. But me running personally? No. But I'll def endorse those who I think are actually coming to get it and being a patriot."

There's much more ... while Masvidal says he still feels very comfortable with his decision to lay down his gloves after UFC 287, he's in no way leaving the fight game.

In fact, Jorge has big plans for Gamebred Promotions ... coming off an awesome Gamebred Boxing card that featured the legendary Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anthony Pettis. Jose Aldo and Jeremy Stephens also boxed ... along with Vitor Belfort defeating "Jacare" Souza.

Stacked.

And, Street Jesus says he's in the process of making even bigger moves, putting together massive events.

As for whether he'd fight under his own banner, the answer is ... maybe.

"I would definitely like to get a boxing match in there, I'm not ruling that out, but as of right now I'm just focusing on promoting."

Mercedes Moné is no longer the IWGP Women's Champion ... but the wrestling star already knows how she wants to get over the devastating loss when she returns to the United States -- by smoking a blunt with her cousin and WrestleMania 39 host, Snoop Dogg.

"I cannot wait to come back to the U.S.A. so I can roll up a big one, smoke one, roll one again, and go to Long Beach, baby, where you can go to my cousin's house, Snoop Dogggggggggg," Mercedes told Dean "Mojo" Muhtadi during an interview with TMZ Sports.

Moné lost her IWGP Women's Championship to Mayu Iwatani at the Stardom All Star Grand Queendom event in Tokyo, Japan. Still, despite dropping the title, Mercedes told us that wrestling fans in Japan treat her like royalty.

Mercedes -- formerly known as Sasha Banks in the WWE -- told us she got rocked early into her contest with Iwatani, resulting in her having difficulty seeing, and described the fight with Iwatani as the "hardest-hitting" match of her 13-year career.

"I got this big ass balloon on my face in the first five seconds, and I just couldn't believe it," Moné said. "But I told myself, 'Mercedes, you have to finish. You're in Japan. The fans are chanting for you.' This balloon in my eye, I couldn't f****** see. That's why I couldn't kick out."

Mercedes told us she has one match left on her contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) on May 21 in Long Beach at Resurgence, meaning she'll be a free agent again and have to decide where she wants to continue her wrestling career.

When we spoke to Mercedes in March, "The Mandalorian" TV star told us she recently inked a deal with United Talent Agency (UTA). Since then, Mercedes says her success inside the squared circle has translated outside the ring, and things are aligning for her as an actress.

A trade for Aaron Rodgers does NOT make the Jets the favorite to win the AFC East ... at least, that's according to Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who tells TMZ Sports he's still got the Bills at the top of the division.

Don't get it twisted, Moon wasn't knocking New York's new signal-caller ... he just clearly believes Buffalo is that much more talented than the Jets still.

"They still have a great roster," Moon said of Buffalo.

The 66-year-old, though, did admit the Rodgers acquisition does certainly bring NY closer to the Bills at the top of what many are expecting to be a highly competitive AFC East in 2023.

But Moon wasn't ready to call the Jets legitimate Super Bowl contenders quite yet ... telling us he thinks the AFC is just too loaded this year.

"It's going to be tough on the Jets to win their division and get in the playoffs and advance," Moon said. "But Aaron Rodgers at least gives them a fighting chance to be able to do that."

LeBron James knows a good reference when he hears it -- and after booting the Memphis Grizzlies out of the playoffs ... a classic Mystikal line came to mind, and it's perfect.

The King was feeling cocky Saturday after the Lakers crushed Ja Morant's team in decisive fashion Friday in front of the home crowd ... which ends their season and sends LBJ and co. into the next round, where they await either the Warriors or the Sacramento Kings.

Bron took to IG with a huge flex -- posting an epic in-game photo of himself after one of his many buckets, where he's roaring in Crypto.com Arena. His caption was just as badass.

He writes, "If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR."

Of course, the line is a nod to two things -- one, it's the bar that Mystikal dropped back in 2012 during a freestyle on Invasion Radio ... which has gone down in hip hop history. It also, obviously, refers to the Grizzlies as a unit in general ... and their ferocious fluffy mascot.

And yes ... it's also very likely one final shot at SF Dillon Brooks, who was talking mad s*** to LeBron early on in the series -- and who famously said after their Game 2 win that he liked to "poke bears" when asked about his back-and-forth with LeBron on the court.

You'll recall ... Dillon brazenly called Bron "old" and said he doesn't respect anybody who doesn't give him at least 40 points. LBJ never quite did that but he owned the dude in just about every respect of the game ... not to mention the Memphis squad as a whole.

Dillon has mostly avoided talking to the media since then ... and his playoff performance was mediocre, to say the least. Seems like LeBron isn't letting him live it down just yet.

Amid rumors of health issues that keep him confined to his home, Jack Nicholson made his joyous return to the public eye Friday night, attending an LA Lakers playoff game.

The 3-time Oscar-winning actor got a hero's welcome of sorts as he sat with his son, Ray, courtside to watch the Lakers trounce the Memphis Grizzles -- 125 to 85 -- at Crypto.Com Arena in LA.

Several celebs approached Jack to welcome him back to one of his favorite pastimes -- cheering on the Lakers live from the arena's floor.

"Curb your Enthusiasm" star Larry David came over to greet Jack before the start of the first-round playoff game.

Lakers legend LeBron James took some time out of his warm-up to chat with Jack and give him a hug.

Tee, the father of Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, posed for photos with Jack, who gave a thumbs-up to the lensman.

A journalist also got into the mix, telling Jack, "Welcome back."

It was the first time anyone had seen Jack at a Lakers game since Oct. 2021. Stories began to surface in the tabloids that Jack had become a recluse due to mounting health concerns.

But, there was no hint of Jack's rumored demise last night. He appeared to be in great spirits, sporting his customary black shades and flashing his famous Cheshire grin.

Two-time NFL Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce threw a huge festival in Kansas City on Friday night, and he got some big names in music to entertain the raucous crowd.

The Kansas City Chiefs star tight end hit the stage for the debut of his "Kelce Jam" music and food festival with the likes of Machine Gun Kelly and Rick Ross.

Kelce kicked things off in a big way, strutting out in front of 19,000-plus fans and giving them a warm welcome as he spiked his 2023 Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.

Then Kelce got into "Beastie Boys" mode and, with the help of MGK, cranked out the band's 1986 hit song, "Fight For Your Right." Kelce and MGK didn't miss a beat together, jumping around on stage while getting the crowd all riled up.

At one point, Kelce gave a massive hug to MGK and lifted his feet off the ground. They also did an encore performance but played the same song, which went on for nine head-banging minutes.

There were some tender moments as well. MGK invited a couple of 7-year-old girls on stage to help him sing his tune, "my ex's best friend." The musician also autographed their T-shirts as Kelce led the crowd in chanting "MGK."